SEMINOLE - Canyon junior pitcher Kyra Lair allowed just three hits and struckout 10 Chapin batters in leading the Lady Eagles to a 5-1 win on Thursday night at Seminole High School in the opening game of the Region 1-5A championship series.

The best two-of-three series continues at 11 a.m. CST on Friday morning. If Chapin wins, the two teams will play at 11 a.m. CST on Saturday morning. If Canyon wins, it will earn a trip to next week's state tournament in Austin.

Canyon is making its second straight appearance in the Region 1-5A final, while the Huskies are making their first-ever appearance in a regional championship. Last year, the Lady Eagles came up short in the regional championship.

Canyon is ranked No. 3 in the state by the Texas Girls Coaches, while Chapin is ranked No. 4.

"I think this year we are more focused as a team," Lair said. "It's always important to get that first win in a series."

With Thursday's win in the circle, Lair is now 26-1 on the season. She entered Thursday's game with a 1.66 earned run average.

Canyon got on the board first in the bottom of the second on a solo home run by Brynn Owen over the left center field fence off Huskies starting pitcher Kristin Fifield with some help from a strong wind.

In the fourth, the Lady Eagles took a advantage of a pair of Chapin miscues on defense to score four runs and take a 5-0 lead. Sloane Precure drove in two runs with a double and Dakota Newsom hit a two-run homer. The Lady Eagles have hit 77 home runs this season

"We didn't play as well on defense as we have all season," Huskies coach Kevin Mills said. "Canyon is a good team. It's been a long time since we had just one run. Kristin kept us in the game. She did some good things on in the circle. The kids are still upbeat and we'll come back for the second game with confidence."

The Huskies did get a solo home run from Fifield in the fifth inning and also got two hits from shortstop Ariana Valles. Valles also had a really good play at shortstop in the bottom of the sixth when she snagged a ball going to her right and got a force play at shortstop.

Chapin did have runners reach base in six of the seven innings but just couldn't put together a string of hits or walks to get any offense going on the night.

"We just need to come out execute better on Friday," Fifield said.

Added Chapin catcher Jazmyne Armendariz: "Canyon's pitcher did a good job. She spun the ball well. Kristin gave a great effort effort in the circle. She did what she always does."